Tobacco-moistening device



(No Model.) l

A. A. BOUTELL. TOBAGGO MOISTBNING DEVICE.

No. 428,065. Patented May 20, 1890.

WITWESSES JN/.EWTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEe ALEXANDER A. BOUTELL, OE DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TOBACCO-IVIOISTENING` DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION flmng part 0f Letters Patent N0. 428,065, dated May 20, 1890.

Application led February 10, 1890. Serial No. 339,896. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER A. BOU- TELL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Detroit, county of XVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tobacco-Moistening Devices; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the case with the lid open. Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail of the case holding the liquid.

It has become customary of late to sell cut tobacco and other kinds of tobacco in open form in boxes, and in this condition it becomes rapidly dried. The tobacco thereby loses its original moist, soft, and desirable consistency and becomes hard, brittle, andv unattractive to the tobacco-user, and is liable by a little carrying to become broken into dust or shorts. This is especially true of tinecut chewing or smoking tobacco. So, also, the same is true of cigars, cigarettes, 85e. To correct this evil appliances have been devised to supply moisture by means of contrivances placed in the show-case or in the package itself and containing water, with means for af-Y fording a rapid evaporation from the tobacco, but permitting` the tobacco to take up again its normal charge of moisture.

My invention has for its object the production of an independent case having an evaporating device or pad adapted for the reception of a single box of such tobacco, so arranged that the lid of the tobaccobox is opened by the operation of opening the lid of the moisture-case.

To this end A represents a suitable case, slightly larger in dimensions than the ordinary cigar-box, and A its cover. This case may be made of any suitable material; butI prefer to make it of tin or sheet-iron.

Bis the box holding the tobacco. B B represent the packages of tobacco packed in the box.

C is what maybe termed the moistening case or receptacle for holding the moistening material. This case is placed within the case A between the front edge of the tobaccoboX and the front edge of the case A, as shown more particularly in Eig. 2. One side of this moistening-case has along its upper edge an opening or slot c, through which .the moisture may pass from the case.

Within the case C is placed moisteningmaterial. This may be arranged in any desired manner-as, for instance, the case may be filled with water, or a sponge or some other absorbent material may be saturated and placed in the case O, or the bottom of the case may be filled with water and the surface covered with a sponge orother absorbent material.

In the cover of the case A is a slot a., and passing through this slot and into the cover of the boX B is a suitable screweye D. It will be observed that both the covers of the case A and the boX B are lifted simultaneously, and it will also be observed that when the covers are down the moisture which is evaporated from the contents of the case C, instead of passing freely off into the open air, will be held within the case and will be absorbed by the tobacco in the boX B. Then the tobacco has already been sold from the box, the operator has simply to unscrew the eye D from the lid, thus separating the two covers and allowing the box B to be removed from the case. A new box can then be inserted, the two lids be secured together by the eye, and the tobacco remaining in the boX during the sales remain thoroughly moistened until all sold.

Vhen the water is all evaporated from the case C, the operator by raising the lids can remove this case, fill it again, and replace it. It will thus be seen that by this arrangement the dealer need not keep his tobacco always in a show-case or in a closed receptacle of any kind to prevent its drying out, but can leave it on a counter or in a show-window or any desired place without fear of its becoming dried and unsalable.

It is of course obvious that I do not limit myself to the use of this case in connection with packages of cut tobacco, as shown in the drawings, but that it may be used in connection with cigars, smoking-tobacco, or any of the various forms in which tobacco is put up.

It will be seen that by the employment of IOC the screw-eye D the lid of the box B muy be adjusted with respeetto the lid A of the en-se--tlmt is, by means of the eye the box lid may, when the lid A is down, be pre- 5 Vented from closing, and the extent of the opening' muy be regulated by the screw.

That I elniin isl. The Combination, with n box foi holding tobacco, of a suitable euse inelosing the same, ro said inelosing-ense provided upon its inteiioi with u onse Containing the lnoisteningliquid, the lids or covers of seid box :ind snrrounding' ense being engaged togetheigwheieby the)7 muy be openednnd closed silnnlmne- 15 onsly, substantially ns desel'ibed.

2. The Combination, with :ibex for holding tobacco and a ense inolosing the suine, Said euse provided upon its interior with u ease Containing the lnoistening-liquid, of Ineens for engaging the lids of said bex and ense t0- 2o gethel', whereby they may be opened and closed simultaneously, consisting of the eye D, engaged in the Cover of the box l und working in the slot a of the eovei A.

In testimony whereof I sign this speeien- 25 tion in the presence of two witnesses.

ALEX-ANDER A. BOUTELL.

Vitfnesses:

M. A. REWE, \V. H. CHAMBERLIN. 

